November Local Variety of Entertainment

November
November 17, 1998 | Volume 6, Number 11

Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley Offer Live Music, Movies, and a Variety of Entertainment

By Hacienda Pulse Staff Writer

Jazz combos, opera, movies, the symphony, theater, and rock 'n' roll are just some of the many entertainment options available in Pleasanton and the Tri-Valley area.

Hacienda Entertainment Park

For an area known for its businesses, Hacienda has a surprisingly wide variety of entertainment options. Live music ranging from nationally known acts to local musicians in search of a following can be heard regularly without leaving the park. Hacienda features four main venues:

The Beach - located at 4555 Hopyard Road in the Crossroads center, the Beach is the newest Hacienda entertainment option. The club is open daily from noon until close, and features a Happy Hour with free pool and drink specials from noon until 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The big draw at the Beach is live dance music performed every Saturday. Fridays features DJ entertainment, with house music, top 40, "old school," disco, and rock. Thursdays offer top 40 dancing and Wednesday is salsa night, with a salsa dance instructor on hand. The Beach will inaugurate a swing night on Tuesdays at the end of November.

Mondays belong to Monday Night Football, and guests can watch the games on the 10 foot screen, the 55" screen, or one of seven other monitors.

The Beach also plans on bringing in some nationally known music acts, starting in December or January. The facility is also available for private parties.

For more information, contact Jimmy J at (925) 225-0220.

Borders Books-Music-Cafe - There may not be dancing at Borders, but there is music. You can expect to find everything from classical to jazz to new acoustic music and more. Musicians appear at their Pleasanton location in the Metro 580 Center Friday nights from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday afternoons from 2:00 to 4:00. Local acts are most commonly featured, but nationally known performers are frequently scheduled as well.

Borders also features appearances by authors and illustrators, as well as children's events. For more information, contact Borders at (925) 227-1412.

Faz America - The lounge at Faz America, 5121 Hopyard Road, is another place for live music on the weekends. From 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., guests can enjoy the sounds of a jazz trio featuring piano, saxophone, and bass. With the music and the addition of an Italian wood-burning oven at the end of November, the lounge at Faz becomes a great place for an intimate t?te-?-t?te over a gourmet pizza. Call (925) 460-0444 for details.

ShBoom - Located in the Gateway Center at 4825 Hopyard Road, ShBoom has provided entertainment in Hacienda for over eight years.

"We play '50s through mid-'80s top 40 dance music, everything from rock 'n' roll to disco and swing," says Alan Pinck, ShBoom's manager.

A unique feature of the club is the entertainment provided by the staff.

"They'll take over the dance floor a couple times a night, doing big choreographed routines," says Pinck.

Another treat is the full dinner buffet, which is complimentary with cover charge between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. With two entrees, vegetables, assorted salads, and more, it's a full meal.

"We cater to a little older crowd, late 20s/early 30s and up, because of the music we play," Pinck says. "We also have a dress codenice casual is our attire here."

The club is also available for private parties. Call (925) 734-0666 for details.

More Movies

The movie theater nearest Hacienda is the Galaxy 8 Cinemas, in Rose Pavilion. The theater offers eight screens playing current release films daily. Bargain matinees are featured daily as well on all screenings beginning before 6:00 p.m. Call (925) 225-9999 for details.

Construction is underway on a theatre megaplex in Dublin, just north of I-580 and east of Hacienda Boulevard. The project features an amazing 21 screens, including the feature attraction: an Imax theater.

The geometries of an Imax screen dwarf those of conventional cinema. The image fills the viewer's peripheral vision, giving a theatrical experience that's unique. It's sure to be popular with parents as well, since many available Imax titles are nature documentaries.

According to Dublin building official Stephan Kiefer, the new complex is expected to be completed by late summer of 1999.

Downtown Attractions

There are a number of entertainment attractions in downtown Pleasanton as well.

Barone'sA downtown restaurant featuring a variety of fresh dishes, Barone's features piano music during dinner until 10:00 p.m. Call 426-0987 for details.

Pleasanton Hotel - The Pleasanton Hotel features live music on Friday and Saturday evenings from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and on Sunday nights from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Bands range from blues to top 40 dance music, and there's a dance floor to keep everyone on their feet. The Pleasanton Hotel is at 855 Main Street. Call (925) 846-8106 for an event calendar.

The Hop Yard Alehouse - While not strictly downtown, the Hop Yard at 3015H Hopyard Road offers live blues and acoustic music with no cover charge on Saturday nights from 8:30 to 11:30.

Live music is featured seasonally at other places downtown, including Cabana Dave's. Check local entertainment calendars next spring for more information.

Theater, Orchestra, Opera

The area also offers a great menu of theater, classical music, and opera.

Civic Arts - The City of Pleasanton's Civic Arts program offers a variety of music and theater presentations at the Amador Theater, 1155 Santa Rita Road. Upcoming events include the Pleasanton Community Concert Band's Annual Family and Children's Concert on November 22, and the Civic Arts Stage Company production of The Nutcracker, sponsored by the Tri-Valley Herald, from December 4 through 13. For more information, call 484-8371.

Classical Philharmonic - The Tri-Valley Classical Philharmonic starts its tenth year on December 7 with a traditional family concert featuring music including "Blue Danube" and "Sleigh Ride."

The highlight of the season is expected to be the American premiere of Gordon Getty's Joan and the Bells. Based on the trial of Joan of Arc, the production will be seen for the first time in the United States in Pleasanton on Thursday, February 4.

Under the baton of founding director Lawrence Kohl, the orchestra will feature several other programs this season, including Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with vignettes from the play by actors from the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival.

Las Positas College - The theater department at Las Positas College graces the stage with several productions each year. The next shows scheduled are Black Comedy and At Home, two hilarious farces. Performances are November 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. and November 22 at 2:00 p.m. For advance reservations and more information, call the LPC Bookstore at (925) 373-5812.

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